


the tui and la cafe, 2pm, tuesday

by lesmiserablol



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bisexual Sokka (Avatar), Blind Date, Flirting, Gay Zuko (Avatar), M/M, Meet-Cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-19
Updated: 2020-06-19
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:21:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24809218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lesmiserablol/pseuds/lesmiserablol
Summary: Sokka loves his job and would do anything for the customers there. Including saving one's gay nephew from going on a blind date with a girl.This is Sokka's side of what happens intuesday, 2pm, the tui and la cafe
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 79
Kudos: 1865
Collections: zukkaforthebenders





	the tui and la cafe, 2pm, tuesday

**Author's Note:**

> This goes hand in hand with [tuesday, 2pm, the tui and la cafe](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24558646) but you can read it without having read that if you want. Basically, Iroh set Zuko up on a blind date and he ended up meeting Sokka. It left the question, did Iroh really set him up with Soka or did they leave before the real blind date showed up? Well. Here's the answer.

“How is your tea?” Sokka asks an older gentleman who is seated near a window and gazing into the street, lost in thought. The man looks up at Sokka as he wipes down a nearby table and gives him a smile. 

“It is easy to mess up a cup of tea. Fortunately for me, your hard work has paid off. This is one of the best teas I have ever had,” he responds seriously.

Sokka beams. “Thank you. You seem like a man of good taste.”

The man chuckles. “It is also nice to be in the company of such pleasant employees.”

Sokka shrugs. “What can I say, I love this job. The Tui and La Cafe reminds him of home, and even the occasional early morning or uptight customer isn’t enough to ever change that.”

The man laughs heartily. “My name is Iroh.” He holds out his hand and Sokka shakes it. 

“Sokka,” he introduces. 

“May I ask you a question, Sokka?” Iroh begins politely, and Sokka nods, watching curiously as he digs in his pockets. He pulls out his wallet and takes out a picture, handing it to Sokka. “What do you think of my nephew?”

Sokka manages to not burst out laughing at the unexpected turn in conversation, but he still cracks a smile. The picture looks recent; it’s of someone his age, maybe older. He has a small, shy smile and a scar on his face that is partially hidden by his dark hair. Sokka swallows. “He seems nice.”

“You can be honest,” Iroh says. 

Sokka grins cheekily, why the hell not. “He’s hot. Why do you ask?”

Iroh nods thoughtfully. “I think I have made a mistake, and two minds can be useful to work out a problem made by one.”

“Sure thing, what can I help you with?” Sokka asks, his curiosity growing. The cafe is nearly empty, the lunch rush having died down, and he glances over his shoulder to make sure Suki is still at the counter to greet incoming customers before he takes the seat across from Iroh.

Iroh takes a sip of his tea. “I think my nephew is gay, but I just set him up to go on a date here with a woman next Tuesday at this time. What would be the best way to fix this error?”

Sokka blinks, surprised, but he smiles as he glances back at the picture in his hand. “Well...I get off work this time on Tuesday. Maybe I can take your nephew out on a date instead, if he’s interested?”

“That would be nice, yes,” Iroh nods, smiling for a second before he frowns. “I do feel bad for the girl, though.” 

“I’ll make it as painless as possible, I got some friends here who can take care of her,” Sokka shrugs, handing him the picture. “Anything I need to know about your nephew?”

“His name is Zuko. He can be reserved at first, but he’ll open up to a friendly face. I am not sure how comfortable he is with his sexuality and with other men, so be patient with him,” Iroh tells him seriously, and it warms Sokka’s heart to notice the care in his voice as he talks about his nephew. “Oh, and wear blue.”

Sokka nods, still thinking it through. “So let me get this straight. You want me to rescue your nephew from the blind date you accidentally set up and introduce him to the world of homosexual dating?”

Iroh takes another sip from his tea. “It sounds strange, I know, but I just want my nephew to be happy.”

“Well, I don’t see a reason why not,” Sokka tells him honestly. “It’s not every day that customers try to set me up with their attractive nephews.”

Iroh laughs, his eyes shining. “If all goes well, I’ll have you two over for dinner soon.”

* * *

The bell signifying that someone has just entered the cafe sounds out, and Sokka beams, glancing at the clock in the kitchen. 

“I think that’s him,” he tells Suki and Katara. 

Suki pauses her theatrical sing along to the 80’s song blaring from her phone. “Don’t screw it up!”

“Wait,” Katara’s eyes widen, looking up from the sink where she is scrubbing a dish. “Do you have your pride pin?”

“Oh, yes.” Sokka pulls out his bisexual flag pin from his skinny jeans and sticks it in plain sight on his apron. “Thanks, sis.” 

“You got this,” Suki winks. 

“Go get some!” Katara calls out, laughing as her brother flips her off and Suki resumes her singing. Sokka is still laughing as he leaves the kitchen and approaches the register, looking up casually. Sure enough, the boy in the photo is standing there, looking exactly like Sokka imagined him, perhaps a bit taller. 

Sokka beams at him, a little more widely than he normally would, and clears his throat. “Hey there! Welcome to Tui and La’s cafe!” 

The man - Zuko, his uncle had said - is frozen, slightly resembling a deer in the headlights. After a moment he takes a few steps forward, unable to look away from Sokka, and Sokka bats his eyelashes slightly for good measure because no, he has no shame, thank you for asking. 

“Hi,” Zuko says, a hand running through his hair, which is even more beautiful in person. 

Sokka finds himself watching Zuko’s pale fingers contrast against the dark hair for just a second before looking back to his eyes. “Hi.” He feels his smile widening. “So, have you been here before or is this your first time?”

“Uh, first time. But I have a feeling it won’t be the last,” he responds with a small smile. watching Sokka’s reaction nervously. 

Sokka laughs, surprised. They’re already flirting, okay, this is home territory for him, no problem. “I sure hope not, it would be pretty selfish of you to keep those good looks all to yourself.” 

Zuko blushes and Sokka grins in victory. “Well, I would hate to be selfish,” Zuko says, and his eyes finally tear away from Sokka’s to start checking the rest of him out. “You’re wearing blue,” he says suddenly. 

“So I am,” Sokka glances down. “I’ve been told it brings out my eyes.”

“It’s true,” Zuko says, voice tight. Sokka smirks to himself. As much as he would love to take credit for making every person he meets fall in love with him, he has a feeling that isn’t exactly the case here. Just as his uncle suspected, Zuko is definitely gay. Which works out wonderfully for Sokka, because judging by the way the conversation is going, it was worth being late to work this morning to make his hair look perfect. 

“I’m Sokka,” he says, and he adjusts the strap on his apron. His plan works, Zuko follows the movement and sees the pride pin, his eyes widening slightly. 

“Zuko,” he says, and then he opens his mouth and closes it again, speechless. 

Sokka leans forward on the counter. “Did you come here for the food or just for the eye candy?” he asks softly. “Because don’t get me wrong, I’m not upset if it’s the latter.”

“You’re flirting with me,” Zuko realizes, mouth falling open again. 

“And you’re adorable. Are we done stating the obvious?” Sokka asks, laughing.

“What time are you off?” Zuko asks, still looking hesitant but with the corners of his mouth twitching up. 

“2 pm,” Sokka answers quickly, and Zuko beams, his brightest smile since they started talking. 

“Do you like noodles?” Zuko asks. “I’m starving.”

“I love noodles,” Sokka answers. “Give me a second.” 

He smiles and jumps back in the kitchen to hang his apron up. Katara and Suki are now chopping vegetables, preparing the cafe’s infamous soup, and they immediately turn to him expectantly. 

“Well?” Suki asks, putting her knife down so she can replace Sokka’s position at the front counter. 

“See you losers tomorrow, I’ve got a hot date,” he tells them with a wink, and they cheer as he disappears out the door and joins Zuko at his side. 

* * *

Sokka has several texts from Suki and Katara by the time he’s walking inside his apartment several hours later. He also has a few texts from Aang, his roommate, one of them briefly explaining that he’s studying in the library with Toph for the rest of the evening and another text demanding updates on his date. Sokka smiles and calls Suki, not surprised when she picks up after the first ring. 

“I can’t believe you didn’t call me first!”

“Hey, Katara,” he laughs. “To be fair, your roommate has a better track record of answering her phone.”

“How was the date?” Suki asks, and Sokka can picture the two of them sprawled on the living room floor, the phone on speaker and lying between them.

Sokka smiles to himself. Mr. Foo Foo Cuddlypoops runs up to him immediately, meowing for attention. Sokka obliges and scratches his cat behind the ears. “It was really, really good. Guys, he’s...” The sigh that follows could definitely be classified as dreamy, but he doesn’t mind. “He’s amazing. We’re going out again tomorrow.”

“Really?” Katara gasps. “Sokka, that’s great!”

“Yes, now tell me, did the girl show up?”

“Yes,” Suki answers immediately. “I figured out it was her and I explained the whole situation. She thought it was hilarious, and long story short, we have a date on Saturday.”

“Look at us!” Sokka gasps, feeding his cat some treats and wandering to his bedroom to throw himself on his bed. He puts the phone on speaker and starts checking his other messages as he continues talking. “That kind old man had no idea that he was actually doing us a favor when we agreed to help him out.”

“I need to find him and send him a thank you note,” Suki sighs. “That girl has legs for days.”

“I’ll pass it on, he already messaged me on Instagram to tentatively invite me for dinner a week from Sunday,” Sokka tells them, smiling at the message from Zuko’s uncle. He pauses as his phone starts to vibrate. “Hey, I’m getting another call, but I’ll talk to you two at work tomorrow, yeah?”

His sister and her roommate say goodbye, and Sokka answers the incoming call. The number hasn’t been saved yet, but he knows who it is. 

“Do you already miss me?” he teases. 

Zuko laughs. “Maybe. How long has it been?”

“Only thirty minutes,” Sokka responds. “But it feels like a lifetime.”

“Dramatic,” Zuko scoffs. 

“You’re the one who called me!” Sokka protests defensively. 

“Yeah, yeah,” Zuko chuckles. “You got me there.”

Sokka glances outside at the perfectly clear sky. The only reason they ended the date after just a few hours was because Sokka has homework and he works early the next day, but none of that sounds important right now. It’s a miracle he was able to leave Zuko’s side in the first place, but now he feels himself being drawn to him again, and he gives in to the pull. “How do you feel about star gazing?”

He can hear Zuko’s smile as he responds, “I love it.”

“I’ll pick you up in half an hour with snacks.” 

“Isn’t the sunset still a few hours away?”

Sokka thinks of the kiss that they had shared to say goodbye. It was short and sweet and held the promise of more, and Sokka is ready to cash that in. “I think we can find a way to fill the time.”

**Author's Note:**

> I have a [main tumblr](https://lesmiserablol.tumblr.com/) and an [Avatar the Last Airbender blog](https://bisexuallsokka.tumblr.com/), but let's be real, the Avatar blog is 90% Zukka.


End file.
